Last verified: October 2026
Does Tennessee offer school vouchers to Memphis families?
Yes, three of them in practice. For 2026-27 they are the $7,530 Education Freedom Scholarship (EFS) open across Tennessee, the $10,132.54 Education Savings Account (ESA) for lower-income children zoned to Memphis-Shelby County Schools, and the Individualized Education Account (IEA) for children with an IEP wherever they live.
A child can apply to all three, but can be enrolled in only one during a school year.
How much state voucher money already flows to Shelby County?
About 5,500 Shelby County students received roughly $45 million through the EFS and ESA programs in 2025-26, the Daily Memphian reported in January 2026. Seats grew statewide for 2026-27, when the EFS cap rose to 35,000.
On the school side, 59 schools in Shelby, Tipton and Fayette counties are on the 2026-27 EFS list and 48 local campuses are approved for the ESA.
Is there an income cap on the Memphis voucher programs?
Only the ESA has a hard cap: prior-year income at or under twice the free-lunch guideline, which is $85,800 for a family of four. EFS is open to every eligible student, but income sets the priority tier when applications exceed seats, and they did for 2026-27.
The IEA has no income test at all; eligibility rests on the IEP.
What will Tennessee's programs not pay for in Memphis?
None of the three pays for child care, food, field trips or extracurricular fees. EFS and the ESA also cannot pay a Category IV or V school or independent homeschooling, and neither can buy internet service.
Whatever the award leaves unpaid lands on the family, and most cover it with school grants, MOST or monthly payments.
| Education Freedom Scholarship | ESA (MSCS zone) | Individualized Education Account | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who can apply | Any eligible Tennessee K-12 student | Students zoned to MSCS or a former ASD school | Students with an eligible Tennessee IEP |
| 2026-27 amount | $7,530 | $10,132.54 | Base plus special-ed funding |
| Income rule | Sets priority only | Up to 2x free-lunch guideline | None |
| Schools allowed | Registered Category I-III | Participating Category I-III | Category I-V and homeschool |
| 2027-28 window | Not yet announced | Feb 2 - Apr 15, 2027 | Feb 16 - Apr 16, 2027 (projected) |
What is the next step for a Memphis family?
Spend two minutes on the funding check, and a counselor will call back with the program that fits, its dollar value and the next deadline.